Ethan's holding the phone now. He took it from Benji, except now, he's not sure why, because he can't answer it. He can't. He can't do this right now. Of course, it's gotta be right now. You have to answer it. No, that's exactly what he wants-it doesn't matter! It's not up to you anymore! You're not in control now, HE is-no, not yet-yes, HE is, look what he just did! He murdered an entire fucking family for God's sake-that does-YES! IT DOES! There's no other option, just answer the damn phone! No-you-no, no, no, NO, N-

Ethan takes a deep breath and puts it on speaker.

Compartmentalize, Ethan, just do it. You won't be able to get a single word out if you don't. Seri-He answers. "So, finally figured it out, huh?" Ethan internally shudders at THAT voice, sounding way too familiar. "Yeah, guess so. You sound surprised."

"Yeah, surprised it took you so long. You did always work better alone, didn't you? Suppose the team's not helping your progress, are they?" He sounds the same. Ethan huffs, "I wouldn't underestimate them if I were you."

"Of course not. Although, you're not much of a team anymore. There are three of you now. What happened to the other two?" Ethan inhales deeply as he pushes his rage back for now, "You have some pretty good shooters, ya know?"

"None as good as you were." Ethan doesn't miss the comment, but he doesn't deflect it. "Is that a compliment?"

Gabriel laughs, "That's honestly up to you. After all, you're the one who took 'em out, and that's a much harder shot than his." Ethan winces a little, Ben.

Ethan's silent for a moment. "What do you want?" Gabriel doesn't acknowledge his question. "You found his house, right?" Ethan's finding it harder and harder to stay calm. "Yes. We found the house." He pauses, knowing he shouldn't go off track, but it's gnawing at him. "Why did you kill them?" Ethan keeps his voice level. "He did what you said."

"No, he didn't. Not entirely. I told him to kill all four of your friends so it was just you. Clearly, he didn't." So you murdered his family? His kids?! "So that's why you killed them, right?"

"I made sure Ben knew the consequences and he agreed to it. You should know, that I'm a man of my word. He should've done the job right." His grip tightens on the phone, "Bullshit! Like you actually gave him any choice."

"Of course, I gave him a choice, Ethan. I said he could do what I asked of him or he could watch his wife and children die. It was an obvious choice." A choice?! A fucking choice?! Ethan's barely holding back his anger as Gabriel, sensing this, continues. "Just like I gave you a choice, right? I gave you a choice to stay or go and you chose to stay. Why did you choose to stay?"

"Because you would've killed me if I didn't." Ethan can practically feel Gabriel's smirk. "No, I wouldn't have. If you chose to leave, I would've let you. I let Ben leave when he wanted to." He can't stop himself. "You? You-You made him work for you after you let him start a whole family for ten years?!"

"Yes. He never would've agreed if I didn't have the leverage I did. Just like you will." Ethan's mind is beginning to flood with emotions again.

"What? What did you do?" He got silence at first. "You can figure that out for yourself, my friend." That feeling's creeping up again. "What'd y-" The line went dead.

Another long silence followed as Ethan finally let the panic overwhelm him. Oh my God, oh my God-What did he-How could he-why? Ethan knows Why, Gabriel always liked to hit him where it hurt the most-Wait. Where it hurts the most. Where does it hurt the most? What would hurt him the most? What would-

"Ethan, what are you thinking right now?" Luther speaks gently as he usually does, but Ethan doesn't hear him as he stands, again frozen, his eyes seeing a whole other world, his mind back somewhere terrifying. Back there. No, no, no, no, no! This can't be happening again. I-Ethan's phone rings and he pushes the gruesome images aside before he answers. It's Eric. "Hey, Eric, what's up?" A long, tense silence stretches endlessly.

"Eric? You there?" Still nothing. What if—"Eric! Eric, what's wrong? What's going on?" Ethan can hear something, but he's not sure what the sound is.

Ethan listens intently like a dog with its ears perked up. Ethan sighs, hangs up, and turns back to Luther and Benji who are staring at him with silent questions that they know won't get answered, not now.

"Et-" But he's already out the door as they run after him. "Ethan! Slow down a minute-" Whirling around, Benji knows there's nothing to argue because he sees the determination in his friends eyes that leaves no room for questions. Benji manages to get Ethan's attention, though momentarily, by gripping his arm tightly. "Ethan, what is it? Where are we going?"

Ethan swallows, not realizing how much he's hyperventilating until now. "It's Eric. I-I don't know what, but-but something's wrong." Benji just nods to Luther to drive. He doesn't care if Ethan's wrong because he trusts him. Besides, when it comes to being perceptive like this, Ethan's rarely wrong. But now, in the not-so-back part of his mind, Benji's hoping he is this time.

————————————

Croatia

Shattered glass, the windows are busted, there had to be more than one or two people to do this. The door's unlocked, they broke in. Inside, there are bits of glass everywhere, it happened fast, really fast. Nothing's out of place or missing, these people had specific orders, and they were hired. They left the electronics on the counter, they were trained. There are bullet shells everywhere, way too much to be just one person. The walls are littered with bullet holes, someone had to have shot someone considering the uneven pattern of holes in the walls.

The glass shards keep crunching under their feet like leaves as they move otherwise silently through the house. The house is so calm now compared to the chaos there surely had been not too long ago. The rest of the house is untouched as if no one had been there. There's a sound not too far from them.

Someone's here. Someone's moving toward them. They slow their pace and continue toward the sound, guns raised. It sounds like someone's struggling to move, they had been shot. The trio stops and lowers their guns.

"Eric." Ethan moves beside Eric, applying pressure to the small, precise hole in his shoulder. "Hey, you still with me?" Eric turns his head to Ethan. "Y-Your to….an-oying to-ignore, Ethan…." Ethan smiles at him. "Yeah, you're alright." He means it.

Thankfully, the wound is small so the bleeding is easier to suppress. Eric was shot by a precision bolt-action rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor calibers, most likely with a 22lr suppressor to keep quieter. The attackers are highly trained and quick, quick being the keyword.

In simple terms, Eric's very lucky that he won't lose an arm or die. Ethan nods at Benji. "Call Kittredge. Tell 'em we need an Evac for Eric." Ethan refocuses his attention on Eric. "Hey. I know this isn't the ideal thing to hear right now, but it's important, okay? Can you tell me who did this?" Eric blinks lazily at him, and Ethan snaps his fingers to keep his attention.

"It's-'m not sure, 'ks m-mil-tary. But 't's not…." Eric struggles to breathe properly. "Okay, that's good. That's good.-" Eric's eyes narrow as if he's just remembering something important. "Gone. 'Er, gone. Yo-ffffind 'em. Fff-"

Julia, the kids. Ethan's heart leaps like he's on a roller coaster. "Okay, okay, I-I got it. I-don't worry, I'll find them. I will find them." I will find them. Ethan doesn't realize that Kittredge is there now until he glances back again. Kittredge moves to Eric's other side, pulling some gawks from the MED bag, "I got him."

Ethan stands again, lurking a moment longer before his focus snaps to something else. He grabs some new gloves and hurries to an unchecked closet.

He stops suddenly though, and stands a moment before bending down and cradling something carefully in his arms. Luther's still filling Kittredge in while Eric's moved away, but Benji doesn't miss it. He stops behind Ethan, squinting.

Benji opens his mouth but closes it a second later as Ethan turns around holding something big, white, and fluffy, cradling it like one would a small child. Ethan looks at him, unblinking as he gently sets the white thing on the floor, taking a few more moments to let it go and brush past Benji without a word, fresh blood blending into his jacket.

Benji looks closer, instantly regretting it as he sees what it is. It's Adam's dog. It's Maverick.

He's been shot right between his eyes.